Emma Raducanu Withdraws From Wimbledon On Eve Of Home Grand Slam Due To Stress Fracture

Emma Raducanu Withdraws From Wimbledon on Eve of Home Grand Slam Due to Stress Fracture Britain’s Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from Wimbledon just hours before her opening match, after scans confirmed a stress fracture in her lower right leg, ruling her out of the tournament at the last moment. The 23-year-old former US Open champion was scheduled to begin her campaign against Croatia’s Antonia Ružić on Court One but pulled out after medical advice confirmed the injury had worsened despite attempts to play through the pain. Raducanu had been managing discomfort in her lower leg since her strong run to the Queen’s Club final earlier in June. Although she initially expressed hope of competing at Wimbledon, her condition deteriorated during the final days of preparation. She underwent a final scan on the eve of the tournament, which confirmed the issue had developed into a stress fracture, forcing her to withdraw immediately on medical grounds.The British No. 1 had trained lightly during the week but also missed and cut short several practice sessions due to pain, raising doubts about her fitness ahead of the Championships. In her withdrawal statement, Raducanu expressed disappointment, saying she had tried everything possible to be fit for her home Grand Slam. She said playing at Wimbledon in front of a home crowd meant everything to her, but she had been advised not to continue pushing through the injury after medical assessment.Her announcement came via social media just hours before she was due on court, leaving fans at the All England Club stunned.Raducanu’s withdrawal removes one of Britain’s biggest hopes from the women’s draw and marks another setback in a season already affected by fitness concerns. She had shown promising form earlier in the grass-court season, reaching the Queen’s Club final, but struggled to maintain full fitness in the buildup to Wimbledon. The injury adds to a series of physical setbacks in recent years that have disrupted her progress since her 2021 US Open triumph. Her exit reshuffles the women’s draw and opens a spot for a lucky loser to enter the main competition, as Wimbledon continues without one of its most high-profile home players. Organisers have yet to comment on long-term implications for her recovery timeline.